DOGS, FUN AND HEARTSTRINGS

Pupaid hit Primrose Hill by storm today and was declared ‘the best Pupaid so far by miles’ by founder Marc Abraham, aka Marc the Vet.

The charity’s purpose is to have the sale of puppies by third parties banned; that is, to stop the sale of dogs in pet shops and by dealers and to eliminate puppy farms, where dogs are kept solely for the purpose of breeding, usually in extremely unpleasant conditions. Thanks in large part to Marc and Pupaid’s tireless campaigning, a tide of opinion is rising and growing against puppy farming, including over 120 MPs declaring their support to the campaign. And all Marc wants from you is your awareness, and to pass the message on.

As ever with Pupaid, the day was full of fun, dogs and animal-lovers, as well as the inevitable emotion that comes with the subject of animal welfare. The parade of rescued breeding bitches was an inspiration and also a sharp lesson in the reality of puppy farming; and the winner of the Bravest Dog category – and overall Best in Show – was Badal, the survivor of a machete attack in India, with a large chunk of his muzzle hacked off. It was impossible not to be moved by such typically humble canine bravery and stoicism. Heartstrings.

The message from host Simon Happily was ‘be careful which dog charities you trust.’ Pupaid is spreading its message far and wide and it is becoming ever clearer that this is a battle that will be won sooner rather than later. Which is great news for dogs.